[Cynagin]

The reddish glow of the fire illuminated the nighttime fog and could be seen over the treetops from several kilometers away. As he drew closer, the extent of the chaos became apparent. Not only was the Tech coal plant on fire, but so was the surrounding forest and the nearby settlement. Creatures, both mutant and natural, scrambled through the darkness, trying to flee the conflagration. Here and there could be heard shouts and cries from the settlement as people tried to save their burning buildings and rescue those trapped inside. Not caring who was who, friend or foe, Tech or Vista - the Rangers sprang into action, helping out where they could and trying to save as many people as possible.

Ranger Cotas spurred his horse on a little faster, trying to get to the scene as quickly as possible. By the time he reached the settlement, bucket-lines had already formed. Several of the early-arriving Rangers worked side by side with the locals, pouring bucket after bucket of water onto the raging fires. From horseback he surveyed the scene, seeking the best place to jump in and help with the fire fighting.

As he looked over the lines, a faint cry drew his attention and, peering through the smoke, he barely made out the figure of a woman in the second-story window of a building wrapped in flames. She frantically waved her arms, desperately in need of aid, without a moment's hesitation he spurred his horse down the burning street toward the house. Flames licked at buildings and smoke obscured his vision, but intent on reaching the trapped woman, Ranger Cotas persevered. Unfortunately his horse didn't. The intense heat from the flames blasted them both and his horse reared, nearly tossing him from the saddle. He tried urging the beast onward, but it steadfastly refused.

The Ranger leaped from the saddle, gave his horse a slap to send it back to safety, and charged off into the flames. The building was a pre-fall structure that had been partially rebuilt. The woman was trapped on the second floor, not much of a fall, really, but upon arriving he saw the small bundle clutched in her arms. The woman was frantic... too afraid to jump with her child.

Cotas called out, “Hold the child close to you and jump!”

“I... I can't!” She stared down at him, her face contorted with terror, eyes wide and haunted by a horrible certainty.

“Just jump! I've got you!”

She leaned out the window, the baby screaming, and with a shout drowned out by the roaring flames she threw the child into Ranger Cotas' waiting arms. Seeing she was unharmed, he set the infant on the ground at his feet and looked up to the mother— just in time to see her terrified face as the wall and floor crumbled around her, engulfing her in flames.

Cotas reached down and scooped up the baby girl. Covering her small face and shiny black hair with his hand, he dived back into the flames and headed for safety. At least the child would survive.

***

[Cynagin]

The fire was devastating. Much of the settlement had been destroyed; burned to the ground. Worse yet, it was already far into summer and the surrounding crops had been completely ruined. Without those crops... well... it promised to be a long winter. Tears welled in Carson's eyes as he looked over the devastation. These people would make it, but it was going to take a lot of work.

Carson was a Caretaker, and as such it was his duty to help these people. To show them a way of life that was not reliant upon technology. At least not technology that destroyed the land. He thought of the destruction of the coal plant and thought for a moment that perhaps its destruction was a good thing. In neutral settlements throughout the canyon, the Vistas found themselves at odds with the Techs. The Vistas tried to spread their philosophy of living at one with the land, but the techs offered quick and easy power... power that not only polluted the air and the streams, but also required coal to be ripped form the ground. Perhaps it was better. Now maybe the people here would listen to the Vista ways. But so much destruction... so many lives lost. There must have been another way.

As he walked through the smoldering devastation he passed an area where a number of children had been corralled. These were all children who had lost their parents during the fire. Looking over the children, his eyes locked on one small child, a baby really, cradled in the arms of another Caretaker. The child's dark brown eyes gazed into his, and he veered off his course. The woman comforting the child told Carson that the child's parents had perished in the blaze. Not only that, but the Ranger who had rescued the child had also died bringing her out of the blaze.

His work done at the burned settlement, Carson Soto began the long ride back to Gaia, but not alone. Wrapped in a bundle in front of him was the small, black-haired girl who was orphaned by the fire. He couldn't directly help all of the children, but he would take care of this one. This one would be raised to know what it is to be a Vista... to understand the careful balance that must be maintained if humanity is to survive.

***

[Cynagin]

Shaking with rage, Karen Woods leaned forward in her seat and let her eyes drift over the gathered audience. A wide array of emotions played across the faces in the room. She could tell that many of them wanted to cheer for her, to congratulate her for a job well done. Others wanted to hang her for her offense... to see her burn for the death and mayhem she had caused. She closed her eyes for a moment, and took a deep breath to consolidate her thoughts.

Karen was an Eco-warrior, and she stood by her actions. Three nights ago, she and several others had set into motion a plan that had consequences far beyond their imagining. They had meant to blow up a coal-burning power plant. Maybe even kill a few Techs. They never meant for the nearby settlement to go up in flames as well. Still, the ends justify the means. With a last look around the room she turned to face the First Citizen and tried to calm herself.

“We tried to warn them. But nothing ever gets through to them. Any of them. The Techs have blinded them with false visions of an impossible future. They want to rebuild the same destructive technology at any... and I do mean ANY cost. Too many people thought that coal plant was a good idea because it gave them power... quick and easy power to light their lights and power their gadgets. No one considered all of the smoke and debris that the damn thing would release into the atmosphere and streams. Oh, and did I mention that they decided to use strip mining to get to the coal? They were tearing right into the earth to get the stuff, without a care for the consequences!

“So, that's why we did it... why we blew up the plant. And to be honest, I'd do it all over again if I had the chance. Yeah, it went a little wrong. Yeah, some people got hurt. But think about the long-term effects if we hadn't blown the place up. We'd be going right back to the same old world we used to live in, and I won't allow that! We've all seen the after-effects... the devastation. We live in that world every day. A world of radiation, pestilence and disease. Humanity has only barely survived, and if we intend to make it any further, we're going to have to do things differently this time. We can't go back to the old ways. We can't!”

Sitting back, Karen composed herself. She already knew what the verdict would be. What it had to be. The Vistas could not tolerate such destructive actions—at least, not overtly. If they hadn't been caught... but it was too late for that. The Rangers had done their job, and she and possibly some of the others would be punished for what they had done. Some would have regrets. But she was an Eco-warrior, and she stood by her actions.

She did not like the killing... she did not like the pain she caused... but she would see the Vista way of life take hold.

At ANY cost.

[remmus]

*chuckles* man..you simply cant find a bigger mace then this story to smack down anyone still thinking Vista are loving hippies...nice one

[Phenix]

Eco Warriors seem to be Influenced by Chota's methods

[flora]

All the factions will pretty much have their "ends justify the means" groups.

[Makiaveli]

I suspected the Techs would show up in that story. Nice way to show the Vista perspective. The "hippie", the "terrorist" and the "soldier". As always, a great read and a nice window into the canon

[Tomb]

Darn Vistas.. Stealing future Tech kids.. And slaves! Darn them I say.

[Dominic Hale]

A good read, I like how she said the Techs will revive technology at any cost, then thought to herself that she would make sure Vista ways prevailed at any cost without knowingly catching herself saying it. Shows the ignorance of blind fanaticism.

[Makiaveli]

Originally Posted by Dominic Hale

A good read, I like how she said the Techs will revive technology at any cost, then thought to herself that she would make sure Vista ways prevailed at any cost without knowingly catching herself saying it. Shows the ignorance of blind fanaticism.

Good catch. Puts it even more into perspective. The Caretakers are willing to allow a coal plant as long as they can talk, while the Eco-Warriors are willing to kill innocents to stop it. And I guess that leaves the Rangers in the middle trying to clean up the mess.